The Synthesizer Which Helped Stevie Wonder Get His Biggest Hit

Stevie Wonder is a reservoir of talent who has helped shape many genres in music from Rhythm and Blues to Pop, Soul, Gospel, Funk and Jazz.

His biggest contribution to music of course is the superhit “Superstition”, a timeless classic which is still a staple at parties.

Not only is the song a masterpiece, but also an important part of music history.

Created by Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff, The Original New Timbral Orchestra (TONTO) is a multitimbral polyphonic analog synthesizer.

Tonto was created to build a universal language that different synthesizers could communicate with, it was one of the first of its kind.

Tired from the lack of creative freedom at his previous label Motown, Stevie decided to fully embrace Tonto when he heard Cecil’s album Zero time, an album made entirely on the instrument.

Improvising heavily on the keys being played, Tonto had an algorithm of its own, resulting in a rich, multi layered electronic sound that put Stevie’s album Talking book (1972) on the Billboards for the first time and changed R&B forever.

Today one can find Tonto at the national music center in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. People who come to see it are encouraged to play around and create new music.

It brings the same joy to so many new musicians, students, artists, and music lovers that it did to Stevie Wonder back in the day.

Tonto is not only an important of music history but also of music heritage.

 Read more : How Jeff Beck Helped Stevie Wonder Write His Biggest Hits